Ceci here, and in honour of Mother’s Day, this week’s blog is dedicated to expecting mothers.

Pregnancy is such a special and personal experience in a woman’s life. The transition to becoming a mother is a big step to make and sometimes not an easy one, both physically and emotionally. I’m sure the seasoned mothers out there would agree and remember their experience well. I have had the pleasure of sharing in the experiences of many mothers to be, and it has been very rewarding to support each woman on her journey. A chiropractor can be a great support person for an expecting mother because chiropractic care is such a great complement to the team of people who will help a woman move through her pregnancy.

It’s quite incredible what happens to a woman’s body during a pregnancy. The organs get pushed out of the way to make way for the growing baby inside of the womb, and on average, a woman puts on 11-14 kg during pregnancy. This causes a change in the mother’s centre of gravity, which in turn puts a lot of extra strain on the lumbar vertebra, pelvis, and all the supporting muscles and ligaments. As the body adjusts to this change, other compensation patterns can arise with how the mother walks and sleeps. 50% of pregnant women complain about low back pain during their pregnancies, and they can also occasionally experience upper back pain or headaches.

The hormone relaxin, as the name implies, is responsible for relaxing the muscles, ligaments and joints in preparation for the delivery. When combined with the baby’s extra weight, this can cause an imbalance in your pelvis and lead to pelvic instability, and in some cases, a lot of pain, as well. There are special braces available that help to support the loosening pelvis if that pain becomes too great, and chiropractic care can also help tremendously.

Chiropractic treatment for a joint that is stuck is not the same as treatment for an unstable or hypermobile joint. For hypermobility complaints, it is important to maintain proper skeletal and muscular balance so that there aren’t areas of the low back and pelvis that are overworking. Strengthening and stability exercises can help with hypermobility problems, too. Being treated during a pregnancy can also help ease the birth process. The baby will be able to travel easier out of a balanced pelvis than an imbalanced one. And, if the mother’s nervous system is working optimally because there is no pain or interference from an unbalanced pelvis or low back problem, then the baby is growing in an optimal environment, as well. This makes it even more important to stop in to see a chiropractor

Mothers can be treated during any phase of the pregnancy, whether pain complaints are present or not. It is completely safe to have treatments during the pregnancy, and it is a natural way to control pain when taking medicines isn’t advised. If you have any questions about chiropractic treatment for pregnancy complaints, please let me know!